The payload, targeting systems, and spread of the warheads would allow Russia to nearly completely destroy a country the size of France with a single missile.

The new weapons system will also be able to deploy decoys and disguise its true flight trajectory in an effort to confuse Western missile defense systems. That is, if it can even be detected. The missile will also make use of the latest stealth technology to help prevent it from appearing on radar.

According to Russia’s Strategic Missile Force (SMF) commander, Sergey Karakayev, “by reducing ICBM’s acceleration section, introducing new types of warheads with the flight path that is difficult to predict and new means of overcoming the missile defense system.” The new missiles will be capable of striking from multiple trajectories, “which forces the opposing side to ensure perimeter missile defense,” he concluded. “This is achieved both through the ICBM’s shorter acceleration phase and new types of warheads with a hard-to-predict flight trajectory and new means of overcoming the missile shield.”

The missile will have an effective range of over 6,200 miles. It is expected to enter service sometime between 2018-20.

It is estimated by The Washington Times that 70% of Russia’s nuclear arsenal will be completely modernized by 2018. At this time it is likely that Russia will possess the world’s most largest and most sophisticated nuclear arsenal.